Dwight Howard trade shows how his value has completely plunged

Dwight Howard was traded to the Charlotte Hornets for a depressingly small return, which highlights how much the NBA has changed and how little a player of his skill set is worth. The Atlanta Hawks received Miles Plumlee, Marco Belinelli, and the No. 41 pick, while Charlotte received the No. 31 pick in addition to Howard.

Not even a year after he signed a three-year deal worth more than $70 million, the Hawks are done with the Howard experiment after he did little in the playoffs against Marcin Gortat and the Washinton Wizards.

Howard averaged just 13.5 points, the lowest of his career aside from his rookie season. He was unplayable at times in the postseason, scoring just eight points with 11 rebounds per game in 26 minutes. Of all times a player of his talents may have survived, it could have been battling in the post with a similarly matched Gortat. But outmuscled, and unable to defend past his own position, Howard was a liability. Now he’ll join his fifth team in seven years.

Seven years ago, Howard was posting 22 points per game, 14 rebounds, and two blocks for the Orlando Magic. He was heralded as one of the league’s best, along with LeBron James. James is still the best player in the world now, while Howard, who is the same age, was dealt for a second-round pick, a role player, and the second-best Plumlee on a bloated contract.

He is an eight-time All-Star, five-time First-Team All-NBA member, four-time Defensive First Team member, and a super-tall seven-foot-large force. He had the tools to be successful a decade ago.

You can blame Howard however you want, but know that his major fault had nothing to do with his actual effort, and had everything to do with the freakish ways of a league fresh with a crop of anomalies.

Howard can’t keep up with the Joel Embiids, Karl-Anthony Townses, or Kristaps Porzingises of the future, nor the Draymond Greens and other smaller stretch-centers of the now. That’s the problem, and a herniated disk which required surgery four years ago set him back enough to stunt his chances at growing with the league.

The NBA isn’t looking for the back-to-the-basket grinding that earned Howard his pay early on. The league is looking for players who can defend multiple positions and pass out to open shooters. That isn’t within Howard’s strengths, and because of it he couldn’t find a permanent home in Atlanta or Houston.

Howard has acknowledged his faults, though, and earlier in June told reporters he was working on his three-point shot. He noted, “In order for me to play longer, I have to expand my game.”

Though he isn’t the All-Star caliber player he once was, Howard could carve out meaningful minutes in Charlotte next to Kemba Walker. He’s still able to rebound and finish well if he’s set up, and playing him aside stretch bigs like Marvin Williams and Frank Kaminsky could help give his career a late boost.

He just isn’t the same desired talent he once was.